Following Christ English

Our relationship with God is dependent on a number of things. Our first connection to God is through His Word. There is no more direct way to connect with God than through the pages of the Bible. We also connect with God through prayer, worship, and in service to others. Below is a collection of blog posts that will offer suggestions to help develop your relationship with God. I encourage you to scan through this list and pick a post that resonates with your heart. Spend a few minutes reading the devotional blog post of your choice and then spend the rest of the day meditating on the thoughts God brought to your mind during your study. I pray that you will find something here that speaks to you in a meaningful way. May you be greatly blessed by your time spent developing your relationship with God. Play to Win . Our relationship with God is something that needs to be constantly developed, practiced, and improved. We need to play to win. Reconnecting with God. Your

Every year we say we're going to make our Christmas more spiritual. But then we get caught up in the sales and the parties and everything, and by the time Christmas rolls around we've lost sight of its true meaning. How can we avoid this? Answers  Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago—and yet you’re right: all too often today we lose sight of its true significance. The angel’s announcement on that first Christmas gets drowned out: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. … A Savior has been born to you” (Luke 2:10-11). How can you and your family restore the true meaning of Christmas this year? First, by taking some things away. Write down all the things you usually do around Christmas—the shopping, the activities, the decorating, the parties, and so forth. Then ask yourself: Which of these can we omit this year? Which can we reduce? Which can we organize more efficiently? Second, restore the true meaning of

Question I know you'd probably say we ought to be honest and always tell the truth, but in my experience no one really gets ahead if they act like that all the time. You have to cut a few corners if you're going to be successful, no matter what the Ten Commandments say. Answer  You’ve probably looked around you and seen people who appeared to be getting ahead by being less than honest—and in the short term perhaps they were. But at what cost? In the long term they are on a dead-end road—and so will you be, if you decide to follow their example. You see, eventually what they are doing will catch up with them. People they cheat will eventually realize what has happened—and stop doing business with them or even wanting their friendship. Instead of being liked, they’ll end up being mistrusted and even hated. Do you honestly want this to happen to you? The Bible warns, “One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper; one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble” (Proverb

Q. I don't see how anyone can believe in God, especially in light of all the bad things that have been done in the name of religion over the centuries -- wars, conflicts, oppression, hate, etc. We need to free ourselves from believing in God, because religion is evil. A. It’s true that religion has sometimes been used as an excuse to commit great evil—tragically, even in our own time. The Bible warned that a time would come when “evildoers and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). But I hope you won’t close your mind to two important truths. First, this is not the way of Jesus Christ. He came into the world to transform our lives by reconciling us to God and coming to live within us by His Holy Spirit. His way is the way of love and peace, not hate and violence. When Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the men sent to arrest Jesus, Jesus rebuked him: “Put your sword back in its place … for all who draw the sw

Sleeping is a difficult thing for me every night mainly because I cannot turn my mind off. Is there a spiritual reason for this or can it be a mental or physical explanation? From the writings of the Billy Graham. Ans. Often sleeplessness is a restless spirit and not a chemical imbalance that keeps us from what our bodies and minds need. Many people have trouble falling asleep at night. Some take over-the-counter drugs or sleeping pills; others require prescription medication to sleep. But it’s good to remember that the Bible instructs us to lay down in sleep and dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). One of the best ways we can help ourselves at the close of day is to direct our thoughts toward God, who gives rest in our weariness. The psalms are perhaps the most soothing place in Scripture for one to turn to shut out the stresses and troubles of the day. Some of the psalms have been set to music and listening to them can help soothe the cares of the world. King David, who wrote man

Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.   Ezekiel 18:31-32 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,' says the Lord GOD. 'Therefore turn and live!'   Ezekiel 33:10-11 "Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: "Thus you say, "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?"" Say to them: "As I live," says the Lord GOD, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of

I will place my Spirit within you so you will live, and I will cause you to rest in your land when you know that I am Yahweh. I declare and will do it—this is Yahweh's declaration.'" Ezekiel 37:14 Because of what God did, now you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God. He became our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30 "For Yahweh says this, 'We have heard a trembling voice of dread and not of peace. Jeremiah 30:5 The thief does not come if he would not steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they will have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10 Now, by faith in his name—this man whom you see and know—this same name made him strong. The faith that is through Jesus gave to him this complete health in the presence of all of you. Acts 3:16 Tear your heart and not only your garments, and return to Yahweh your God. For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in covenant faithfulness, and he wou